It is often desirable to provide support for a camera, particularly when using slower shutter speeds. While camera tripods are used conventionally for this purpose and most cameras are provided with a threaded socket in thier base for this purpose, it is often inconvenient to use a tripod.
A number of alternate camera supports have been proposed, with many using a portion of the body to enhance the stability of the camera. Many of these utilize a harness of some type, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,370,611; 2,771,826 and 2,952,200. Others provide an additional steadying handle as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,014. Still others depend upon contact with the mouth or face of one using the support, as seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,651,981 and 2,826,978, respectively.
In addition to the problem of providing a steady rest for a camera, an additional problem presents itself where the cameraman has the use of only one hand. Thus, most cameras are intended to be operated with the camera held mainly by the left hand while the controls are manipulated by the right hand. Obviously, where a person has the use of only one hand, as in the case of an amputee, it is at least difficult, if not impossible, for a person so handicapped to use a camera without resource to a conventional tripod or the like and, as noted above, in many instances it is inconvenient and impractical to use a conventional tripod.